I often get asked how I still managed to play outside, despite having an office job. It's pretty simple. I chose the kind of job that give me the opportunities I want. Granted, I'm making a percentage of what minimum wage is, but I'm living in a National Park and getting housing paid for me. I'd say it's a fair trade off.

Since graduating college and getting thrown headfirst into adulthood, I've done tons of research on how to pick a career that will allow me to do what I love, without making me grow sick and tired of it. Here's a few of the opportunities that I've taken advantage of, plus some I hope to dive into someday.

Retail

I know, I know. Retail sucks. I'll be the first to tell you that. But picking the right retail job makes the suckage significantly smaller. I worked at a large outdoor retailer. The culture was awesome. The discounts were incredible. And the days off were often weekdays.

Having the opportunity to head into the mountains when your weekend is Wednesday and Thursday is amazing. Trails are empty, campsites are quiet, and traffic isn't bad.

Being the first of your adventure crew to hear about the newest backpack lift system or waterproof technology is fun. Testing out brand new gear and (if you're lucky) borrowing gear from either your stores stockpile or your equally adventurous coworkers is an added bonus.

Intern
If I could be an intern forever, I would. I've scored internships at Climbing Magazine, AMC Outdoors and now, I'm working as a media intern for the National Park Service.

All of my internships have given me opportunity to play in new places and get others excited about the outdoors. Sure, the first two were unpaid, but they have given my resume a step up, as well as given me incredible experience and insight into what working in journalism is like. Not only that, but I get to write and take photos of the stuff I love - the outdoors and people who love the outdoors.

I've been fortunate enough to be able to travel to Colorado and Washington for my internships, as well as one at home in Boston. Some internships will paid for your relocation expenses, housing and give you a small housing stipend. Plus, if you land an AmeriCorps eligible position, you might qualify for an education award, which helps with your student loans. 

Being a weekend warrior has it's perks.

Get sponsoredYou might be passionate about accounting or basket weaving or real estate- something that might not necessarily allow you to be outdoors when you want to be... and that's okay. You don't need to be outdoors 24/7. But the important thing is making sure that when you do have your days off, that you're getting after it in the woods. And documenting it.

Do you know how easy it is to score free/discounted gear, just by asking? Super easy. You don't even need to have 180k followers on Instagram. Good content and an even better personality is all you need. I sent out almost 80 letters when preparing for a big outdoor venture. Most were ignored. Some responded with a no. But I did get lots of positive responses.

Even if they couldn't provide a true sponsorship, many companies were stoked to send out samples to me. Some sent gift cards (thanks, Chacos), some sent t shirts and ball caps (you rule, Backcountry Ninjas) and some offered a 6 month supply of meal bars (ProBar, I'm looking at you).

It never hurts to ask. Companies want people who are enthusiastic about their product and are willing to put themselves out there to prove it.

Mountain naps are the best naps.

Freelance

Oof. This one's tricky. And I have no real advice on how to do this, as I haven't gotten to this point, but if you're motivated and skilled enough, you can work for yourself. There are lots of bloggers and photographers who get paid to travel and do their work.

Some live out of their trucks or airstreams. Some have a home base and travel internationally taking photos for big name brands and publications. 

Freelance isn't for everyone- you have to be extremely motivated, self sufficient and creative. Not having a boss telling you what to do can be hard, but the benefits and flexibility freelancing provides far outweight the negatives if you want that lifestyle.

So now what?

The bottom line is that if you really want to get outdoors, you can. Getting paid to play might ruin the fun of it- I've definitely found that with my photography. When I'm out on my own, I rarely want to take my camera out. It feels like work. And I try to avoid bringing my everyday life into the mountains with me. That being said, it takes discipline, heading straight to the mountains after the work week and those always fun late Sunday night drives can be a total bummer. If you want to turn your passions into your career, or even use it to bring in a little spending cash, I can tell you that it's totally worth it.